You know the feeling. Too much to do, but not enough time. Something you’re trying to change or fix, but you just can’t make any progress. Outside forces closing in, but there’s no place to escape.
That’s stress. While tension in small amounts actually helps propel us to make productive changes, most Americans are so used to great amounts of stress, that they don’t realize how much it impacts their daily lives. Especially their health.
We might not realize that not all stress is the same. While there are external forces that cause us stress, there are also internal causes of stress. Here are influences that cause stress both internally and externally in our lives:
External Forces
- Major life changes
- Work or school
- Relationships
- Finances
- Too many obligations
- Children and family
Internal Forces
- Chronic Worry
- Pessimism
- Negative self-talk
- Perfectionism
- Rigid Thinking
- Lack of flexibility
Next time you start to feel stressed out, take a deep breath and try to decide where the stress is coming from. Is it an outside agent pushing on you or is your mind intensifying the situation?
If you feel that a friend or family member may benefit from learning about causes of stress, consider sharing it with them.
Sources
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987
https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress.aspx
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/stress-management/art-20044151
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